Eoghan Totten competed in Newcastle AC colours at the All Ireland Schools’ 5000m championships on Saturday 4th June and finished a very credible 6th. In this his final season of schools’ competition, Eoghan can reflect positively on his achievements, most notably his medals won in the Down and Ulster Cross Country series’ and the personal bests that he has set for 5,000m and 10,000m on the track. With continued dedication and commitment to his running, I am confident that he will improve even more in the next two or three years and produce some fine performances that will win races. With these races out of the way, might we see the young man in action in one of the remaining Hill and Dale races? Two years ago, at the tender age of 16, he pushed McNeilly all the way, finishing second to the great man on a night that revealed his true potential. Might he turn up this year to mix it with Woods and Annett and gain Newcastle a rare Hill and Dale race victory? We all wait in anticipation.
Organisers were delighted with the improvement on the weather conditions for the 8th race in the 2011 Hill and Dale Series, Meelmore/Meelbeg. Twenty-seven members of the host club were in action in a race that would see champion elect Des Woods claim his sixth victory to ensure an unassailable lead in the series after the most impressive piece of front running witnessed in the competition to date. In a gargantuan battle for the minor places Niblock, Annett and McNeilly finished in that order with only 13 seconds separating the three men. David McNeilly returned in style to claim 6th place, while Eamon McCrickard made it four in the top 10 for Newcastle. Audie McVeigh continues to improve as the weeks pass by, inching ever closer to his first top 10 of the season; perhaps his best opportunity will be at Rocky in week 10. In the battle of last week’s organisers Lawrence Hamilton had three minutes to spare over Martin McMullan; is the entente cordiale at an end? Resident results trouble-shooter Mark Kendall had a bit of a ‘mare’, losing places quicker than I lose friends as the race progressed! The pertinacious Brian Campbell was out again, making it 2 races in the series and indeed two races in the last 4 years. I recall Brian being one of the many who passed me descending towards the happy valley in the same race a few years ago when we were both svelte and sylphlike!
The last few races have been a little quieter without the presence of a certain John Kelly (Des will be wondering which one). We wish JK a speedy recovery from injury and look forward to hearing his caustic and mordant wit and banter on the weekly runs.
Luke McMullan competed in the Scarr Fell Race in the Wicklow Mountains on Wednesday 1st June and finished in 11th place in a time of 39:54. The race was won by Ton Hogan from Wexford who led the field of 215 athletes home in 35:13. Luke has been running well in the early part of the season and we look forward to seeing him perform well locally during the summer recess.
The Hill and Dale returns to Tollymore this week for the Monument race, with entries taken in the Clanbrasil Barn from 6.15pm onwards. In an exciting development there will also be junior races this week. The Primary 5, 6 and 7 athletes will run together in a race that will take approximately 8-10 minutes to complete and each year group will be sorted at the finish. The Year 8 and above race will take around 14-16 minutes to complete and again all runners will start together with year group places determined at the finish. Parents are reminded that registration will close at 6.35pm, without exception and are asked to complete the registration form (available to download from the club website) in advance to speed up the entries process. There will be a warm-up led by one of the club’s official coaches at 6.35pm and the racing will begin at 6.45pm sharp. Participation is open to members of all clubs and those runners who as yet not affiliated to any club; the only caveat being that entries cannot be accepted for runners younger that Primary 5. Good luck to all the young athletes as they take their first steps to becoming the next Des Woods or Shileen O’Kane.